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Rant

Question For Leftists

Posted 12 months ago|42 comments|498 views
Written by
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
This is for all the good, well intentioned folks who believe that government is the answer to most - if not all - problems and who like the idea of an ever-more-powerful STATE.

Why do you believe that? Please tell us who hold the opposite view.

Note - this is not an attempt to bash leftists/statists/progressives but an honest attempt to understand the basis for your beliefs. I have every intention of posing the same sort of question for those of us who believe that when it comes to government, less is more.

Please, I humbly ask you, give me your honest answer.
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COMMENTS
sunny2
sunny2
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12 months ago: Count your blessings Sunny.
sunny2
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12 months ago: (Liberals/socialists/leftists/statists/progressives are driven by a compulsion to feel important.)

I put my comment in parenthesis because I was not invited to respond.
sunny2
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12 months ago: I agree, except, when it comes to contributing to our society (the United States of America), liberals are not currently contributing squat. Period.
sunny2
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Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: What exactly are conservatives contributing except negativity, work to erase fundamental rights and keep them from spreading to others, wasted time in on conspiracy theories, and to the fat bank accounts of the oil barons?

Rather than bashing the people who are trying to make a difference, why not spend the same energy and time making a difference yourselves – not directed at you in specific but conservatives, right-wings, Republicans, and Tea Partiers?
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Ah, CR, just for my own enlightenment, could you list which "fundamental rights" you believe that conservatives are "work[ing] to erase"?

Not arguing with you, understand, just wanting to know which of our rights you believe we conservatives are seek to "erase". By the bye, truly fundamental rights are unalienable (in Jefferson's words) and cannot be "erased". Abridged, unquestionably, but "erased" not possible.

But I am truly and honestly and sincerely interested in learning which of our "fundamental rights" you believe conservatives are working to erase. Since irony and sarcasm are conveyed mostly by tone of voice and body language, I ask you to take my question as posed without any subtext. Please read nothing into the question but take it solely at face value because I give you my word there is no subtext nor is there any ulterior motive.
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: I appreciate the opportunity to respond and shall try to do so without layers or scorn.

I believe that the right to the pursuit of happiness is fundamental as is liberty as is justice. To me, there is no happiness, liberty, or justice in fighting gay marriage. Who cares if two people of the same gender want to marry in the eyes of the law? So, that's the first one.

Second, I would say the right to choose in the case of abortion. Conservatives are working as we speak to work to repeal every aspect of abortion rights except the actual procedure which, I'm sure, is next. You know I've written on this topic for years. You know I am not in favor of it and find it a reprehensible act, but you also know that I simply don't believe that this is something to be legislated and if the same people who fight spent the same time, talent, and treasure empowering young women, we could drastically reduce abortion rates and actually do something good.

So, these are two rights I consider fundamental the right to marry the person you love (insofar as the two are legal consenting adults) and the right to make the decision to abort with counsel of your support group.

Others may not agree these are fundamental rights. To which I would say, maybe they are not, but my point in origination was simply that I wish conservatives would put their resources to better use than trying to fight rights that were hard won or to prevent others from having the rights they already enjoy.
MARXIST_COLONEL
MARXIST_COLONEL
Staten Island, NY
12 months ago: May 01, 2011 - Sunday ........ 10:14 pm

___ Listen, government is not the answer niether is capitalism -- big business. Government has its role and so does businesses, capitalism, and big business. If capitlism does not do its part then the government will automatically get bigger. Plain and simple !!!! Capitalism and big business can never be the end all and be all in any society --- PLAIN AND SIMPLE !!! The government -- any government -- is the people. The people is the government -- whether it is a Liberal government or "conservative" government.
___ Please, anyone, can anyone please tell me where is this very successful ( very ) small government BIG and over powering business ( Capitalism ) model exists ? When and where has this model has ever (( sucessfully )) existed in history -- besides slavery and extreme human rights abuses ( of a society ). Please tell and and educate me ---- PLEASSSEEE @!!!!!
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Here we are over 24 hours since I posted this and not one left has come forward to articulate their beliefs. Not one. M_C has condemned both sides without offering a third alternative. But Neither Altruist, nor Plutonmeister, nor Colorantal Raver nor any other has stepped up.

Again, I will reiterate that the purpose of the question is to try to understand. I am not calling anyone names. I would just like to understand your point of view.

Won't anyone from the opposing side step up and articulate the statist/leftist/progressive view?

Anyone?
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: What is it? You want someone to bite your head off Bad Cyborg.
I'm tired.
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Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: Well, good, I wrote an entire rant on the topic of why Big Government is better and published today.

I do apologize for not posting immediately to your rant. Seems that one of the things that is currently separating liberals leftists and independents like myself is that we are actually out there doing more than just ranting and raving. We are actually out donating our time, leading small biz seminars, helping people set up web sites for their businesses, and working to help pull our nation up rather than spending the entire weekend on conspiracy theories about bin Laden and why Texas got no national disaster relief.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: ColorRanter if you only knew what we do for Communities and others around the World. My daughter was nominated for a UN Award. I'll take right from my own pocket to help someone out.
When I hear talk like BC making a statement as if he is correct and no one else is, I see unawareness and an unwillingness to want to know anything else but only to repeat platitudes over and over again.
Sunny
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Well, I am "semi) retired so I admittedly have a good deal of time on my hands. The bulk of that on weekdays is taken up caring for my (almost) 8 month old grandson for whom I have been caring since his Mother went back to work a scant 5 weeks after his birth.

I was simply curious why no one - especially the ones I mentioned in my opening post. Thanks for coming in when you did.

For the record, I never wrote anything about any conspiracy theories - for my money they all fail the test of Occam's Razor AKA the "KISS" principle - did did I complain about any disaster relief Texas may or may not have received. I would be happy if none of that sort of money came in.

I have no special knowledge about business so I cannot help there. Does that somehow make me less of a person? I mean, I pay my taxes, I keep my head down, I obey the law as best I can - even when I consider the law utterly against both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution -I served 10 years in the Armed Forces and gave a son to fight for our country. Am I now less than a full citizen because I disagree with the current administration?

For the record, I sent several faxes and emails to my Representative and Senators asking that they not support the patriot act. Does that redeem me in even a small way?
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: Yes, you do get some redemption for writing against the Patriot Act. You also get some slack for donating your time to taking care of your grandson – which I'm sure has many pluses and a few minuses, but nonetheless a neat experience. Yes, you do get slack for giving a son over in service to the nation – thank you beyond words for that sacrifice as that is one of the greatest gifts a person can give, and surely the most painful, to any nation.

You never did write anything about conspiracies, and I wasn't meaning to imply you did, rather simply that others did write, especially about the Osama conspiracy which was an annoying waste of time.

I agree as a scientist with Occam's Razor and am so sad that so few do or even understand it but grateful that you do.

I was only trying to illustrate a common grievance I have posted about on many sites where I write that part of the reason Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, et. al are so successful is they have listeners. Why do people on the right apparently have so much more time to listen to these kinds of self-congratulatory shows? Clearly, there are few and far between examples of successful such people on the left. Which means to me they don't have the viewers. You could say there are just fewer liberals and left-leaning independents than conservatives, but all polls in the last two elections dispute this notion with far more people identifying themselves as liberal, Democrats, or left-leaning independents, so why then aren't there 8 liberal-leaning talk show hosts of national acclaim? My only conclusion is there are more conservatives sitting around watching and listening to these shows than there are liberals. So what are the liberals doing with all that extra time? They are out fighting global warming, signing up voters, working for Green Peace, volunteering in the homeless shelters, and so on. I'm guessing? Maybe someone has another hypothesis.
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
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Altruist
Eugene, OR
12 months ago: I thought Sunny was doing well. I would like to hear more from the gentler other half of the world.

OK so since I am one of the most consistent liberals on the site, the question was probably directed at me.

But I am probably not the best source Lets listen to what other people say:
"The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors."
— Thomas Jefferson

"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness --That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men...- Thomas Jefferson (The Declaration of Independence)

"Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint." - Alexander Hamilton
" … in a regulated society…The liberty of every member is increased…for each gains more by the limitation of the freedom of every other member, than he loses by the limitation of his own. The result is that civil government is necessary to the perfection and happiness of man." James Wilson

So what does this mean? As Hamilton said left to their own devices, some people and corporations, go nuts and start killing, polluting, stealing, lying, cheating or otherwise harming other people.

So the 1st purpose is to protect the citizens. This means not only Police and the Military, but also the EPA, OSHA, and other safety and environmental agencies, to protect us from being poisoned by the corporations who without rules and regulations would do the cheapest and most profitable practices the free market system would allow them. Before these regulatory agencies, corporations would just dump their toxic waste in our water systems,and the people down river would then suffer. They likewise contaminated the air, added toxic chemicals, shaved corners and didn't maintain quality and anything else to save a buck. (Buyer beware as in China or Haiti)

As Wilson said without these regulations none of us would be free safe or happy because we would be forced by the corporations to watch as our children, friends and relatives, sicken and die early.

So assuming health is necessary to for the happiness that Jefferson spoke of, why should government get into say, the medicine business, as just one of thousands of other areas, where the government is helping people?

Let's look at Medicare compared to the private insurers the Republicans would have us be at the mercy of. First of all Cost. Medicare is non profit, so to start they are 10% to 20% cheaper than private insurers. 2. Medicare only spends 3% of it's funds for administration. This is compared to 30% for private insurers. That is why most other civilized nations have single payer health care that cares for EVERYBODY at half the cost.

Medicare is also the largest buyer in town and could force the pharmaceutical companies to provide cheaper drugs, if only the Bush drug bill did not expressly forbid the government from competing.

Then let's look at Quality and Quantity. The private insurers spend most of their time trying to find ways to deny coverage. One third of the people in the country have pre-existing conditions which could be used by the private insurers to deny service (talk about "DeathPanels). If the Private insurance companies were not forced to they would only deal with the healthy. Medicare deals with everyone.

The same can be said for many other areas. Government serves people where the free market fails. They also help those most in need when disaster strikes as now when we have fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, oil spills etc.

Federal government is necessary because things like pollution know no borders. Federal Governme
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Thank you Altruist. I can't talk politics like all of you can, so I read everything people say. You are very kind. I am a liberal and proud of it, and if I have something to say I usually do. Your comment was a great reply to Bad Cyborg.
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: excellent!
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago:
"the question was probably directed at me."
Not solely at you, but you WERE one of the ones from whom I was most hoping for a reply.
12 months ago: Solid response Al.
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: Now, I cannot wait for the fulfillment of BC's counter to Altruist's reply.

My rant about the myths of the benefits of small government explains a little of why I think we need a large, sophisticated, progressive, powerful, organized government is posted here for all to read.

The Benefits of Small Government Myth
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: I don't know what happened to my links in my comment:

http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/The-Benefit...

link
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: He is playing the Liberals with his comments. CB has no interests in hearing anything, just himself talk. He will ask a question that leads people on but is not open to any of it.
You would think people want the same thing for their country. Only thing I see is redicule.
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Madam, are any sort of Christian? If so, you aware of the Carpenter's direct order - given on at least two occasions - not to "judge" (which meant "condemn") - once recorded by St. Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, the other recorded by St. Luke in the Sermon on the plain?

You do not know me, madam. You know nothing whatsoever about me, Madam. Do you know for a fact that I am "playing" with anyone?

I suspect that we have very different understandings of what would be the right thing for our country. That is a very simple reason why we might appear to desire different things for our country. Differing world views can lead to different interpretations of observed facts and thus would suggest differing solutions. Is that not so? Or is there only your way or the "wrong" way? And if so, how is that in ANY way an example of "tolerance"?

I am not ridiculing anyone's understanding. As I reiterated more than once, I seek only to understand. As for "leading someone on", are you absolutely certain that is my motive? Would you wager everything you own that your assertion is correct? I've made no posts condemning you. I did comment that you had not succeeded in conveying you message to me in an earlier post. In what wise is that a "condemnation".

I am sorry if I have offended you, Madam.

Oh, one bit of advice, Madam, if I may. You might consider paying attention to the real-time spell checking available on this forum. Had you done so, you would avoided misspelling the last word in your post - ridicule.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: BC I always liked you. I always respected your judgment. By the way, you are still being rude to me. I'm not in a spelling contest with you. I don't care. I have bigger fish to fry than that right now. Of course, you can spell Madam or Madame either would be considered right.
I'm too busy studying medical books night and day to have to worry about a couple of misspelled words. You don't have anything better than that to shoot me down to be petty and find an excuse to be rude.
By the way I am directly related to a powerful Republican who made his place in history. I get it. I'm not trying to convey anything to you. I've seen what people write and it is absolutely way out there. You are just being rude again.
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BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Madam, I have most definately NOT been "rude" to you. To be rude in this context I would have to have been ill-mannered or discourteous to you. I have broken no standard of either manners or courtesy in my dealings with you. What I have been is direct and plain spoken. If telling the truth has become discourteous then we have truly come too far along the road to political correctness.

I could not possibly care who you have in your family tree. I am of immigrant stock who settled mostly in the Tennessee hills. We have been fighting under AND DIEING for the flag since before Betsy Ross sewed the first one.

But is would appear that you are uncomfortable with a direct, no-sugar-coating writing style. When they succeed in interpreting the Constitution out of existence, perhaps you can get some of your AMA friends to get their pet congress critter to completely outlaw plain speech.

You know, when I was in public school, I was never much of a speller. I would bet significant coin that you, on the other hand, made A's on all your spelling tests. What happened? And, if you are no more articulate than you appear to be here, how did you ever get into medical school? Did you pay someone to write your college papers? Your entrance essays?

I am not one of those way out there types. I just speak and write the plain truth as I understand it.

Is that smoke I smell? Perhaps while lazing about here you have allowed those "bigger fish" of which you wrote burn.

But if you cannot stand the heat, you should try to stay out of the kitchen.

Imagine that. A sierra hotel med student bested in a contest of words with someone with only an Associate's degree - from Community College of the Air Force yet. And you fancy becoming a physician? I hope you are studying and continue to live after graduation in a city on one of the two oceanic coasts. Half a continent is only marginally enough buffer between us for me.
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
12 months ago: BC is correct that a different world view determines one's ideas about what is wrong with the world and what should be done to fix it.

There is a different world view for Conservatives and Liberals. Conservatives believe in the strict father worldview and Liberals believe in the nurturing mother world view.

The Strict Father worldview believes that children are born bad and need an authoritarian father figure to administer physical discipline until the child knows right from wrong.

The nurturing mother worldview believes children are born good and if nurtured and protected from bad influences can remain so.

The liberals believe that people collectively do what is right because it is in the best interests of the community because people are basically good and have to learn how to be evil. Conservatives think you need strict rules and coercion to get people to do the right thing because people are basically evil and have to be shown how to be good.

See: http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/Why-Red-Sta...
sunny2
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BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: What "sly remark", Madam? Did I reference the scripture inappropriately? Did I misapply it, perhaps? You go about judging others and consider yourself sinless? What was it the Carpenter's Son said about taking care of your own medical problems before tackling others'? (eye, beam, speck - remember?)

I am not rude. Direct, plain spoken but not rude. It is YOU, Madam who have been discourteous with your baseless, scrofulous accusations and assertions. You accuse me of "playing" people and pretending to want answers that I do not really want. Only the Creator can look into a man's heart and discern his motives. Mere mortals cannot do so. Are you GOD, Madam? Do you claim infallible knowledge of my motives and intentions?

If this is the kind, generous, compassionate and tolerant spirit of liberalism/progressivism then I need to find new words to use in place of generosity, compassion, kindness and tolerance.

One final note. It is anatomically impossible to point the finger at someone without pointing three fingers back at yourself. Be careful lest you end up hoisting yourself up on your own petard.
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Altruist opined:
"The Strict Father worldview believes that children are born bad and need an authoritarian father figure to administer physical discipline until the child knows right from wrong."

That does not describe my world view at all. I do not believe that children are born bad. What I DO believe is that children are born self-centered little beasts and our task, our DUTY as caregivers is to civilize and humanize them. I love my grandson dearly. But I recognize that while innocent, he is utterly self-centered. It is my job to teach him how to use that self-centeredness (and all creatures are self-centered) intelligently and to expand his definition of himself to include others. I am in the process of teaching him to love others AS himself - not "as much as himself" but literally AS himself.

Everyone is born with two impulse centers in their brains which are the source of all "I want (or don't want)" impulses and all "I ought" messages I call them the want-er and the ought-er. At birth the want-er is running full blast while the ought-er is just idling. The parent's task is to educate and discipline the child so that the ought-er begins to come online. The beginning of maturity is when the ought-er predominates for the first time. A good and functional level of maturity is when the ought-er predominates the majority of the time. TRUE maturity begins when the want-er starts to sync with the ought-er - i.e. when what the person WANTS to do and what they OUGHT to do coincide. A fully mature person has both boxes fully in sync. Unfortunately I know of only man who was ever fully mature - and they crucified Him.

Notice that I have not mentioned the words "good" or "evil" here.

Running outta room. Have to comment on the last paragraph in a 2nd post.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Wow this has been a pretty wild debate today. Children aren't born little beast. When I had my child, the first thing I saw were beautiful eyes looking into mine, and I knew that she was the best thing that ever happened to me. I know other parents feel the same. Where would I be today, if it weren't for the love of my child. I would never have known such glory in life. If I ever saw an "Earth Angel" it would be her bringing complete joy.
Bad Cyborg all you can do is love your children and pray they will be healthy and walk the right path in life. No matter what children do they should be loved unconditionally. It takes a lot of sacrifice and hard work to get them there, but it is worth it when they return that love. Sunny
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: Altruist:
"Conservatives think you need strict rules and coercion to get people to do the right thing because people are basically evil and have to be shown how to be good."
I cannot speak for other conservatives but I certainly do not believe that.

I believe that people need to be taught how to behave and that left to their own devices are just self-centered petty tyrants. They are not "evil" they just have no idea how to function in a world inhabited by other people besides themselves. That learning how to behave is sometimes painful is simply part of the process. Think of it as running about with our hands tied behind our backs running face first into doors. We have to learn how NOT to run into doors.

An example might be in order here. When she was little, when my grandson's mother was just learning how to crawl and climb up on things, my beautiful baby (made possible by the fact that she is no blood kin to me) would pull herself up the front of the stove and Streeeaaaaattttch up and feel around on the top of the stove. One day she laid her hand on one of the little grates that cover the burners. It was still warm from my wife cooking something. She hollered and IMMEDIATELY pulled her hand away from the top of the stove. AND NEVER DID THAT AGAIN!!. She suffered pain but no permanent damage - not even a 1st degree burn. But she learned.

I often hear it said "It shouldn't hurt to be a child.". Why not? It hurts to be alive. My right knee and elbow and thumb tell me every morning that I am still alive and kicking. It should not hurt enough to cause permanent injury, no. That would be neglect. Perhaps even abuse. But if it hurts then we learn lessons - often valuable - that stay with us for a lifetime.
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BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: OK, don't comment on my posts and cease making base, scrofulous, utterly false accusations and I will gladly do so. Remember, Madam, you posted in MY thread, not the other way around.
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12 months ago: Again there is a type of person that is being rude again after I told him specifically not to write to me. I took my posted opinions off so that he would feel much better about himself with no one to dispute him. He did not specify Men Only. Oh God. I stand by my opinions.


Perfect Horizon
Perfect Horizon
Chicago, IL
12 months ago: My answer to the original question:

I believe that if the Government is going to steal my money from me (tax) then that money should sure as hell be used to take care of me.
Frederick
Frederick
Canada
12 months ago: Government does some things very well. Here in Canada, goverment supplied health care costs 1/3 less than yours and is accessible to everyone. Adequately funded education gets Canadian kids to score very high on international tests. Smart goverment control of the banking system in Canada gives us a national debt that is in control and about 1/3 the size of yours per capita. Left wing politics can do a lot of good.

And I don't characterize myself as wanting an ever more powerful state. I am sure you are referring to that in an economic sense. Remember though, the right wants a more powerful state in exercising control over abortion, drug laws, sex crime and jailing and other social issues.
Coloranter Raver
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
12 months ago: Hi Frederick,

Your comments are welcome! More of us need true facts about the Candian systems, and I believe it's time we stop trying to fight the inevitable. The USA is an incredible nation that's accomplished so much, but we do not make ourselves better and stronger by ignoring the great systems that others have conceived. Why not learn from what the Canadians have learned when it comes to what works in nationalized health care. Our nation is in debt to our eyebrows and health care costs continue to sky rocket. The private system has been in place that drove up these costs. Why we are so unwilling to consider alternatives is mystifying. Especially when we now have our own GOP House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor saying that private rationing of health care is already in place, it just does a better job than public would??? Yes, I too am scratching my head, because I think you would disagree that a nationalized system implies rationed care.

In any case, the fact that you are paying 1/3 the cost for health care should be all we need to know. The people on the right preach and preach ad nauseum about the benefits of small govt. and the private systems being superior. But, they have no evidence and there is plenty they are wrong. Why wouldn't we want a system, especially when we are so close to going bankrupt if not already passed the tipping point, that would save us so much money and give equal access to health care to all tax payers? I don't get it, and I never will.
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago:
"Why wouldn't we want a system, especially when we are so close to going bankrupt if not already passed the tipping point, that would save us so much money and give equal access to health care to all tax payers?"
Because according to the bean counters in the Congressional equivalent to the GAO says that it WON'T save money? That, in fact, it will INCREASE costs and REDUCE services?
Frederick
Frederick
Canada
12 months ago: A correction and an affirmation for Coloranto:

Our health care costs are 2/3 or yours. (Our debt is 1/3 per capita). Our own system is far from perfect and yours is better in some instances. On the whole though, I would take ours any day. I think most Americans would agree with me if they saw it and read about it.

And let me echo, the United States remains a beacon for the world.
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
12 months ago: Thank you for commenting Fredrick. You are 100% that government can be used to do good.

Unfortunately the Republicans in this country think that government is evil and thus starve it of funds and when they are in charge, fill the government with cronies that are ideologically opposed to the programs they are supposed to run. They put anti regulators in charge of regulation and fire IRS agents so they can't collect $300 billion in unpaid taxes. Republicans create inefficient government that does not work. Their self fulfilling ideologies do much harm to our country.

There is a lot of denigration of our "Public Servants" in this country by the right. But the majority of our teachers, police, firemen, and the rest of our government workers, sacrifice and work hard to help the people in the community. They could all receive higher wages for their education and experience if they worked in the private sector but these people are in it to help others. They are not greedy.

The major reason that Canada runs well compared to America is that our government is no longer responsive to the common people. Our leaders have to spend 85% of their time begging for money from the rich and powerful and then they have to respond in kind by giving tax breaks and other advantages to the oligarchs to the detriment of the majority.

Frederick can you enlighten us on how your country has avoided your lawmakers being owned and paid for by the rich as ours have become? I know part of it is that your elections seasons are vastly shorter so your candidates need to spend a only fraction of what ours do. Tell us what sort of public financing you have.
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12 months ago: "Did anyone notice the word....definately.... NOT been "rude" to you. To be rude in this context I would have to have been ill-mannered."
THE WORD IS SPELLED D E F I N I T E L Y.
I guess that says it all.
Parents set an example. Children learn from the parents. If they have to be burned on a stove to learn a lesson, that's carelessness on the part of the parent who let them get too close to a stove. I feel sorry for kids in this world that have parents and grandparents with no souls and don't know how to love because they never were. I can see their future already. (not directed at anyone in particular) If the shoe fits, what more can I say.
I'm so lucky.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Of course with all respect given to the person that can't help blasting me for my opinion, I finally read that ridiculous comment directed at me. Boy, is this person way off base. Every single word was absolutely funny and humerous to me. Almost like a real old person wrote it that I had to pat on the head. I can run circles around this boy who hasn't moved into the future. I'm more interested in the problems with our Government. I think woman face prejudice their whole lives, but we stand up to it pretty good. I can spot it coming a mile away. With all due respect.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Here is a fact that may enlighten some people not to knock others for a couple of typos or they will look very foolish:
EnglishRyan: Albert Einstein is considered one of the greatest scientists of all time for his work on the relationship between matter and energy. But he was also an obscure human being.
Fact 1 - Einstein was a horrible speller. After moving to the US, Einstein became completely bilingual but could never recall how to spell words correctly in both German and English
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: (erm, you do realize you look like a stalker, don't you? One thing for sure, you are letting me live rent free in your head. I think it's cool! Hate me all you wish, Ma'am. Makes no difference to me. heh, heh)
Frederick
Frederick
Canada
12 months ago: For Altruist and anyone else who might read this.

I am not going to do this well.

Some parts of our Canadian government, right now, work better than the American government, other parts do not. I do not know if it has to do with funding of polical parties. It might also have something to do with key individuals at key times or political traditions.

Your government has shown a lot more guts than ours, historically. Canada is ahead of you on some issues right now though. American has long been richer than Canada, it's courts have probably been fairer, and my friends who have gone down there tell me that a meritocracy has allowed them to do things in the world of business that they could never do in Canada.

One thing I always go back to is that your country was founded in a revolution. Our was founded in negotiation and became a country step by step. Your country continues to show that courage of revolution but the courage is sometimes misplaced. Our country continues to negotiate internally. Things move slowly but not always wisely.

Please bear with me here. I am speaking as one Canadian, and not a very well informed one at that. My opinions are only that. To throroughly explore the issue is well beyond what I could do off the top of my head, and in a forum like this one.

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